MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero defended the need for the Senate to investigate the ballooning costs of constructing the New Senate Building following the heated exchange between Senators Nancy Binay and Alan Peter Cayetano at the recent hearing.
In a dwIZ interview yesterday, Escudero said the accounts committee hearing is being conducted because of the failure of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to explain the high cost of construction.
He maintained that the New Senate Building in Taguig is priced at P23.3 billion, including the P1.6-billion land acquisition cost and the P10-billion Phase 3 that is yet to be bid out.
The hearing is intended to find a way to lower the final price so as not to make the Senate’s new home “the most expensive government building in the country.”
“The price leaves a bad taste in the mouth, especially in these trying times. I don’t think we senators have the right to live in such an expensive house,” Escudero said.
As to the heated exchange between Cayetano and the former accounts committee chair Binay – whose rivalry traces back to the Taguig-Makati turf war – Escudero said it only proved that senators are people who can be carried away by emotions.
Binay is considering an ethics complaint against Cayetano after the latter called her a crazy rumormonger or “buang” and “Marites” before she walked out of the hearing.
“But the emotional outbursts should not stop us from getting to the truth,” he added.
According to DPWH’s contract with Hilmarc’s Construction Corp, the first phase worth P8.067 billion is for the “core and shell” of the building, such as engineering, plumbing, as well as earth, electrical and concrete works, while the second phase worth P2.375 billion is for the finishings, such as doorways, windows and tiles. The third phase estimated at P10.3 billion has yet to be bid out.
In a statement yesterday, Cayetano promised a “factual and independent” accounts committee review of the building following concerns of former senator Panfilo Lacson that it has led to the public perception that there is corruption.
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